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May 12, 1909. THE PRESBYTERS
THE PASTOR IN THE HOUSE OF SORROW.
The pastor is the comfort-bearer to the house of sorrow.
He lives and ministers under the command of
his Lord, "Comfort ye my people." His heart goes
out to those into whose home the angel of death has
entered. And yet there is no part of his ministry more
delicate or that requires more prudence. The heart is
so very tender under bereavement that even words of
sympathy may be painful. He may be without personal
experience of sorrow, knowing not yet the best
way to the heart. Sometimes he feels that the sorrow
is so great that he fears to intrude and is silent. But
he should remember the special object of his ministry
to the afflicted. He should school himself in the sympathy
of sorrow, so that, even if inexperienced, he may
be able to speak a word in season.
But commonly it is not many words that are needed,
rather the quiet expression of sympathy, with a short
reading or appropriate prayer. It is to be assumed that
mourners are onen to the words of divine romfnrt frr>m
the scriptures and to simple, earnest supplication to the
God of all grace and consolation.
At the same time those to whom the visit is made
should remember that the pastor often feels constrained
to wait until there is some intimation that such ministration
is desired. It is to be assumed on the part
of the sorrowing that the pastor comes as the bearer
of consolation. He should be made to feel that his
prayers are desired and longed for. If there seems to
be hesitation, open the way by a request for prayer.
Quietly hand him a Bible and ask for prayer and you
will find there was a heart full of sympathy waiting for
this opening of the way. It is thus that perfect sympathy
is established.?Exchange.
"HE DIED CLIMBING."
At a certain place in the Alps there is a monument
to a guide who had perished when attempting to make
the ascent of the mountain. The simple inscription on
the stone is, "He died climbing." It is a noble tribute
I to a heroic man. He was in the line of his duty. His
face was forward and upward. Higher and higher was
liis aim. not in a vain amhitinn but in th<? wav Hntv
Without fault of his own he fell, the sacrifice to duty.
Not lost, not lost but living still, his simple monument
telling the story of a life of pure and high aims, that
shrank not from perils and death when he heard the
call.
"He died climbing." The words are an inspiration
to men everywhere, an example that calls others to the
same faith, even though it may have the same perils.
The young man dies as he comes to the age when he
expected to take his place among the active workers
of the world. We look at his record. He had all the
I vigor of youth, the high purpose, the heroic effort.
Whatever of study, work or enjoyment, he was climbing
up. Each year saw him at a higher point and still
looking upward. Cut off in early years? Yes, but
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steps. The man in his strength falls and disappears
from sight. What is his record? He was a man of
noble ambitions, he saw the heights and resolutely set
out for them. He knew there was a wider world, and
iN OF THE SOUTH. n
he climbed toward the vision of it. Whatever he did,
he did well. He thought not of himself, but of others,
especially of those about him, who trusted him; he
worked for the public good; he endeavored to make
the world better, and gave his life to the great purpose
which governed it.
The old man dies. He has followed in the footsteps
of Jesus. His life has been one of ministry, and of
help to others over the difficult places. His thoughts
were of God, and his desire was to be like him. His
heart was warm and responded to every appeal and to
every need. As the years passed he became better and
more useful. He Knew no old age, for the springs of
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? ... w.._ imgms duuvc. v^umoing still. VVe
say he died. No, he only reached a point beyond our
vision. We see him no more, but he lives, and will live
in the hearts of men and with God. Happy the man of
whom it may be written, His effort was to be better
and nearer to God. Happy the man who dies climbing.
. PREPARATION FOR CHURCH SERVICE. .
A Christian business man found, as many, many
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"in church, often going hack to his office. He resolved
that he would not be dominated by his business, but
would be what he professed to be?a true worshiper in .
the house of God. In relating his experience he said:
"Instead of accusing the preacher of dullness or oldfogyism,
or thinking what a hardship it is to sit still an
hour or so, I prayed earnestly! And then I went far4.1
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Liicr, i resoiuieiy took care not to fill my mind with
the sensational stuff in the Sabbath newspaper before
going to church. I tried to think a little about the
services before I went; I wondered sometimes what the
minister would have for me that day! I set my will
toward giving my attention. In the end I. conquered.'
My business stays behind closed doors on Sabbaths
nowadays."
We all should follow this man's method. First, we
should be interested in church services for what they
are. If we really look forward to them because of the
spiritual help they bring, it will not be hard to keep
our thoughts from straying to worldly matters.?Ex.
THE RICHES OF TROUBLE.
What genuine blessing have you discovered and laid
hold oi\ in this latest misfortune of yours? It makes
no difference what the misfortune or affliction is, provided
only it is not the disaster of deliberate sin; there
is a blessing in it that God intends for your enrichment,
and only yourself can defraud yourself of that gain. A
middle-aged Christian man realizes this when he writes
to a friend expressing his praise to God "for preservation
from more serious consequences in a fall which
fractured my left elbow, as well as for quickened
sympathy arising from the consequent period of pain
and inactivity." There is a rich asset that we may store
up from every trouble; quickened sympathy for others
in the same trouble; and the richest man in the world
is the man of deepest and most freely expressed
sympathies. How unfair we are to ourselves when we
let trouble leave only its burden, instead of its uplift,
in our lives!?Sunday School Times.
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